Light Comes In Many Forms
by NugiSpringield
Summary: In the war against the dark, many things were lost, but not much is now known of what man once knew before the rise of the Grimm. In this story, Nugi will rediscover and remind humanity of the fact that Light Comes In Many Forms, and that maybe, just maybe... the same can be said for the dark. Rated T for mild profanity, OC-fic, possible pairings in the future.
1. Nickel Trailer

**A/N: So yeah, I kinda disappeared off the map for a while, eh? I apologize but really there is nothing I can say to excuse it, so you will have to settle for an explanation of what all went wrong. Basically, I lost interest, life got real, my muse resigned, and I just gave up on my story, and then upon the whim of wishing to bring it back to life I discovered that I was severely disappointed in my work, so basically I'm gonna scrap it for now. I may return to redo it, or I may just give it to a better man with more time to spare to do the story its proper justice. The point is, don't expect it to suddenly start existing again just because this appeared.**

 **On another note, my muse may have quit his job, but I can't just stop the gears. So I hired a new one. This has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now and I decided screw it I may as well get it out on paper. So without further ado, my new masterpiece, Light Comes In Many Forms.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY, RIP Monty. I also do not own anything else I may incorporate into my baby here except the story itself and Nugi plus any potential OC's in the future.**

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Chapter 1: Pilot

Man, born from dust, was strong, wise, and resourceful. But he was born into an unforgiving world. Inevitable darkness, creatures of darkness, creatures of Grimm, set their sights on man and all of his creations. It seemed the darkness was intent on returning man's brief existence to the void. However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change, and even the dimmest mote of light, can make way for the brightest of beacons to fend off the darkness that is, the Grimm. Man's wisdom and resourcefulness lead them to create the very tools that they would use to drive off the dark. This power was appropriately named, Dust. Nature's Wrath in hand and the light of man in the form of Aura at the ready, man pushed the legions back, and in the shadows absence, bred civilization, strength, and most importantly life. But the darkness is not gone, it is not dead, it was not killed. The darkness could not be stopped, only slowed. Make no mistake, the dark will return, and there is nothing we can do to stop it. No single aura can ever be bright enough to permanently ward off the Grimm, and there will be no victory in lone strength…

But Aura is not the only light, nor dust and the blade the only weapon to bear against the dark. Aura has always been the way of man, the light we have wielded outwardly as a force, both offensively, and defensively, and arguably has been our greatest weapon, bar dust and the blade itself. Aura, however is but a single form of light, a light branching directly from the soul, to protect the soul. However, light was once wielded in many forms, before the creatures of Grimm brought about the end of a golden age for all of man, thrusting our people into darkness, man and Faunus both.

Every man, woman, and child bears their own aura, and many never unlock their power. Aura is not, however the only light that all of man may bear. For every light that may flicker out, another light must be able to fill its place. When the gentle, but forceful, glow of the light of aura is not enough, then the wild, powerful flame of man is to be wielded. The Flame of Will, branching from many a source of power, and hidden within every man, has been long forgotten, and lies dormant, however, and it is possible that the Flame may yet never be rekindled, and that man may fall once more into darkness, with no light to guide them. The flame of man may very well not be attained, but by the desperate dying will of man with no further options, no place to run to, and no aura to bear.

This is a story my father used to tell me when I was younger, when I had dreamed of becoming a hunter someday, of having my aura unlocked and of discovering my semblance, of slaying the monsters that threatened man every day. It was probably something like a family legend, a story passed down by our ancestors, but I didn't really think on that too much.

My days of dreaming of being a hunter and fighting monsters, going on adventures? They were long gone now. Next month I start my second year at a normal high school for normal people who will live their lives fantasizing about being more than normal and working their normal jobs. Yeah, I've got a pretty normal life. Pretty average grades, pretty normal high school crush, pretty normal teenage angst, and a pretty normal home situation, if a bit odd.

I live with my mom in our pretty basic 2LDK (2 bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen) house, in the suburbs of Patch, in a little neighborhood called Meridian. Dad is around, but he works out in Vacuo doing something or other, he never really told me or I just wasn't paying attention when he did. Could go either way. Anyway, he sends back money to us to help us get by and we live pretty well off overall. Running water, electricity, heat, cable, internet, and a whole bunch of luxuries we could just as easily have to make do without, so he makes off well enough.

He only comes home like once every year or two , though, and usually doesn't stay long either. So I don't remember much about him, other than the fact that he is pretty eccentric.

Anyway, unlocking my aura didn't exactly pan out the way it was supposed to. Without an aura, there wasn't even a point in applying to go to Signal, and without going to a combat school, there was no chance of me becoming a hunter so I just didn't worry about it too much. No point bothering myself over something that just wasn't meant to be right?

So there I was, in the middle of Patch, a couple miles from home, shopping for school supplies and stuffs to keep me entertained until school started up.

 _I may faaaaallll,  
but not like this,  
it won't be  
BY-  
YOUR-  
Haaaand,_

"Hm." I hmm'ed, standing in front of the shelves for the new Zbox games in the local GameDust, debating with myself on whether or not to buy the new Forerunner, my Nessie headphones blaring Jeff Williams into my eardrums. "Nahhh, I'll wait a few weeks and check out the reviews." I decided before turning around leaving through the same door I came through.

But man is it nice this time of year in Patch. Be it in the daytime, or late at night, the weather here is perfect, all summer.

"Just yesterday, a Schnee company train transporting dust and the Schnee heiress to Vale was attacked by the Anti-human terror group, the White Fang. Reports say that all of the dust being transported on the train was stolen, and the train was blown up, however there have been less than 10 casualties, and the Schnee heiress is reportedly fine with, just a few bruises. If you have any information on the White Fang-" I managed to catch the news as I was walking by an electronics store on my way to the bus stop that would carry me back home.

The bus arrived and I quickly boarded, and took a window seat towards the back of the bus, when lo and behold- remember that high school crush I mentioned?- a wild Samantha steps onto the bus and starts walking down the aisle.

Well damn. She noticed me staring at her like a god damn creep. Smooth, dillhole. She waves as she walks by to sit in the back of the bus with her boyfriend. Dammit, why do I always want what I can't have? Oh well, not worth the effort anyway, I think as I slump back in my seat as the bus begins to move.

About 30 minutes later, the bus got to my stop so I grabbed my stuff and got off the bus and started walking home because I still had about a 5 minute walk before I was home. I got in the door, and headed upstairs to my room, tossed my jacket on the desk chair, and flopped into my bed to get some sleep before mom came home and made dinner.

I woke up at about 8 o'clock to my mom knocking on my door and asking if I could head out into Patch and pick up some fire dust crystals so she can make dinner because we ran out last night and she forgot to ask me to grab some when I went out. So, I hopped out of bed and slid on my shoes, slipped into my jacket, and opened the door to get the money from my mom and head out to the bus stop. I got on the bus and sat towards the front, and simply waited until I got to my stop in Patch.

I don't know how she expects me to find a dust shop open this late at night. I got to Patch at about 8:30 and I started roaming past any dust shops I could think of but I had been walking for almost an hour and I had yet to find a single dust shop that hadn't yet closed for the night. I was just about to give up when, by some act of Oum, I saw one dust shop toward the end of the street I was walking on with the lights still on. Fingers crossed their actually open.

 _*ringaling*_

The bell to the door of the shop rang out as I walked in and made my way past the little hooded girl with the headphones and into the commercial dust aisle. I picked out a pretty basic burn crystal for cheap and turned to make my way to the checkout and caught a guy in a bowler hat with a cane and a whole bunch of guys in black and red suits come through the door holding weapons.

I walked up to the counter and had the old man scan my dust crystal, handed him the money and rushed down the street, not wanting to get involved in all this and just as I was about to walk past the shop's window, one of the goons came flying out of it and tumbling on the ground and glass went flying so naturally I stumbled back and protected my face.

Then the girl with the headphones came flying out of the window with something in her hands and the sound of clicks and clacks flourishing a staff that turned out to be a scythe when it was done unfolding. The goons rushed at her and she proceeded to open up a can of shaq fu on them and knock them all about as I struggled to my feet and just as I was about to run away the bowler hat guy said something and then there was an explosion and I turned around just in time to see a shard of the concrete flying at me in a perfect course to end up jutting out of my chest.

" _Shit. Is that all my life amounts to? As an innocent bystander who just happened to be too close to a late night store robbery? That's how it all ends for me. What the hell have I done with my life."_ I thought as my life began flashing in front of my eyes and everything slowed down. _I haven't done anything. I failed to get into a hunter school, I didn't get the girl, I wasn't good enough to come through for my friends, I couldn't even get the dust to heat up the stove for dinner. I'm gonna leave my mom and my friends to grieve over me and my useless self because I gave up on going to a combat school and unlocking my aura._ The faces of all my friends and family's disappointed faces flashing through my mind. _I've lived a pathetic life and now I have to die a pathetic death, too? There's not a damn thing I can do to stop this? Like hell I'm just gonna accept this. This is bullshit. What the hell did I do to deserve a death like this?_ A heat starts to build up in my chest and my head as the chunk of glass and blacktop comes ever closer to my chest. _My friends and mom deserve better than to have to remember me as an average useless scrub who got himself killed as a god damn bystander. If I'm gonna go out, Imma do it with my final dying will to_ _ **wreck the dick who killed me**_ _._

*BWOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHH* (switching to a third person pov here because badass action scenes are always better from a third person)

Just as the debris hit Nugi, a blast of energy and literal dust flared about him, creating a cloud of dust to shroud him, and the dim orange light about his forehead. Roman didn't bother to take a second glance as he made his way off to a building across the street to make his getaway. Ruby, however was in fact worried for the innocent bystander who may have gotten himself hurt or ever worse _killed_ in her showdown against the robbers. Her worry however, faded quickly upon realization that he was far from injured. In fact, he looked better than he had before getting caught up in this.

As the shroud of dust faded, a black haired teenager about Ruby's age was revealed standing within, the shards of rubble caught in his left hand, and his forehead alight with a bright orange flame, his hair seemingly floating and defying gravity, his open grey trench coat billowing out at the ends, and his steely eyes, one silver and one blue, focused on the retreating Roman Torchwick. He turned to the old shop owner and with a simple, "I'm going after him, call an ambulance." Crushed the rubble in his hand and began chasing after Torchwick. Ruby quickly got over her shock and turned to the shopkeeper and informed him that she also was going after him, hefted Crescent Rose up, and began to dash after them, firing shots behind her and using the recoil to help her move faster.

Roman had just reached the top of the ladder and began sprinting towards the edge of the building when Nugi front flipped onto the roof behind him with a dull thud, followed soon after by Ruby and her high impact scyther rifle landing with one last shot from her Crescent Rose to lighten her landing.

"Persistent" he muttered under his breath before turning around and twirling his can in one hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Red, Grey, but I'm afraid this-" A bullhead lifted up from behind the building and opened its port bay doors to allow Roman to jump in while Ruby shielded her eyes from the dust being blown around by the bullhead "Is where we part ways" he said as he tossed a Burn crystal at them and lifted up his cane to shoot it and take out the both of them. Nugi however, managed to grab the crystal out of the air and throw it back far enough to be considered a safe distance from both Ruby and himself. Just as the dust cleared, a platinum blonde wearing a purple cape and wielding a… riding crop? Landed on the roof in front of them and flourished her weapon. Roman turned and ran back into the bullhead towards the cockpit with a yell of "We got a HUNTRESS!" at one of his companions in the ship and took the reins prompting a black haired female to step out into the ships bay and begin conjuring fireballs and launching them at the huntress only to have them put out and knocked to the ground before reaching their target.

The platinum blonde huntress then, with a wave of her wand, picked up the rubble off of the roof and formed three whips of stone and glass and hit the bull head with them only to have the burning blackette destroy them with her fire, close the port bay doors , and for the bullhead to take off leaving her to turn around just in time to catch Nugi's flame die out and for him to collapse to the rooftop and the cloaked huntress-in-training flash towards her in a storm of rose petals and awe.

"Can I have your autograph?"

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 **A/N: So yeah, this is absolutely paying homage to Katekyo Hitman Reborn and before you even say it, yeah, I'm aware that it isn't listed as a crossover. And if things pan out, then when I tell you now that there is a reason for that, you'll understand in 10 or so weeks give or take a few.**

 **I hope you liked this and if you would be interested in picking up my original fic by all means, hit me up and we can talk about it because I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with it quite yet.**

 **I may need OC's in the future but if I do I will make sure to tell you beforehand and ask for them in a chapter or something. All that besides, please, by any means, leave a review what you think about the idea, point out mistakes, anything to help me out with my writing and hopefully this fic turns out better than the first one did. Thanks for reading, Nugi out.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Its been too long, sorry I'm so late but I got really sick and my laptop broke finally. So yeah, I reeeeeaally love the way this is running out in my mind so I'm gonna take this quick second here to give more information on my OC. More specifically, his looks.**

 **For simplicity's sake, think of my OC as a more grey color themed version of Negi from Mahou Sensei Negima after he goes to Mundus Magicus but with one blue and one silver eye and black hair. I wanna give you more information as far as my character, but backstory and such. I intend to make at least a subplot providing backstory and such for my character that can fuel my writing for 15+ chapters, so I can't really afford to give you too much of it here.**

 **If you don't know who Negi is or how he looks, simply google it and the most badass looking motherlover is the one, and I highly recommend reading Mahou Sensei Negima if you haven't.**

 **Now, I set us off on a bit of a slow start, but overall I was rather satisfied with my first chapter, so expect things to go downhill from here. Also, if you don't give me reviews I simply automatically assume my work is absolutely perfect, so by all means, please review if you disagree in even the slightest.**

 **Without further ado, on to the chapter, and sorry for my rambling.**

 **Also, and this is actually important : I'M STARTING THE CHAPTER WITH A FLASH BACK TO EARLIER IN NUGI'S FATHER'S RESPECTIVE LIFE TO PROVIDE BACKSTORY AND SUCH. AND ALSO I'M BACKPEDALING.**

 **Disclaimer on first chapter.**

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{Flashback (Dad's Perspective)}

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I sat there, wondering what could possibly be in this light box that's so important or dangerous that I'm not allowed to open it. When I first turned 18 and left home to go see the world, my father wouldn't let me leave without it. I remember what he said when he gave it to me word for word, even to this very day.

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{Flashbackception}

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"This box contains secrets of our family dating back even before the dark days when the Grimm took their hold on the world." Dad had sat me down in the basement and removed the box from the safe.  
"Our family was once of a very powerful lineage, and dates back long before the collapse. This box, and its contents, are the only remnants of our family, of the Springfield line, that remain to this day besides our own flesh and blood. The contents are dangerous and contain secrets that remained privy only to our ancestors." He spoke in a very serious tone and his face reflected the seriousness of the situation to me regardless whether or not I understood its reason.

"My father handed it down to me, and his father to him, as I hand it to you now, with very simple, but just as important instruction. Do not open this box under any circumstances, and pass it down with these very same instruction to your own heir. One day, another prodigal child, a child born with the natural talent or thirst for battle, for justice, for war, will be born into this family. One with the potential to ascend to heights privy only to the greatest of men. Only when that day comes, by the hand of the newest heir to the Springfield line, will this inheritance from our greatest of ancestors be opened, to support them in their own growth and to be used by none but the hand of the heir to the Springfield name."

He placed the box in my hands and he began walking with me up the stairs. "Protect this inheritance with your life, even from your own partner in life if necessary, and under no circumstances may you allow anyone but a Springfield with the power or the talent to become a defender of man and his creations to open this box. In the off chance that such a child should be your own, when you hand it down to them, tell them only to open it in their most dire time of need, when they need the power to protect and don't have enough time to acquire it by any other means. Don't tell them anything else."

I finished packing my things and loaded up my luggage into my car, before coming back into the house to say one last goodbye to my mother and father and heading off for the city of Vale. I hugged my mother, and shook my father's and he said to me "Remember what I said to you always, and check in from time to time."

I hopped in my car, backed out of the driveway, and headed off into my new life.

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{Flashbacks end}(Still Dad's POV)

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"He's 16 now, huh. I guess it's about time I head home and check in on Nugi and Naomi." Alibreo said to himself whilst staring at the inheritance of the Springfield family. "It's probably about time for me to pass this down to him like dad did to me."

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{Dad's POV Over}

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I slowly open my eyes. My entire body aches and I'm exhausted. I lift my head up and sit back and see that I was sleeping in a chair resting my head on a table. I scooted my chair back just a little bit and went to stand up but my right arm stopped moving forward towards the table with a _CLANK_. I pulled it back and tried again once, twice, three times now and every time it would get any further. I looked back down and saw that it was handcuffed to the chair.

I lifted my head and looked around the room and there's nothing in here except a metal door, a big glossy black window, and a table with a chair on the other side of it. OH, and let's not forget little red riding hood from earlier. I sat back in the chair and relaxed as the memories of everything that happened earlier came rushing back to me.

Then my sense of hearing and feeling synced up and I heard the door clack open to allow the huntress to slip into the room and start pacing back and forth in front of the table, berating me and Red on getting involved.

"I hope that you realize that your actions today will not be taken lightly children. You out yourself and others in great danger." The platinum witch sad as she paced back and forth behind us.

"They started it!" Red yelled out from beside me, causing me a head ache.

"And that justifies you pulling out a scythe and destroying the old dude's window and starting a brawl that almost got me killed?" I thought out loud, gaining a glare from Red and an empty glance from the platinum blonde.

"If it were up to me, you would be sent home with a pat on the back," Red sighed in relief, and I thought maybe I shouldn't be relieved yet and instinctively removed my left hand from the table as she stopped beside me and slapped the table with her riding crop to accentuate her point, making Red flinch back "and a slap on the wrist!... But, there's _someone_ here who wants to talk to you. Both of you."

At that the door clicked open again and a man with silver hair walked in while the incredibly tall platinum blonde huntress walked by him and handed him the scroll she was holding, and closed the door behind her.

He walked up to the table and leaned in and looked Red in the eyes. "You have…silver eyes." He turned to me. "Both of you." Red then turned to me not having noticed apparently that my left eye was silver just like her own. She didn't get the chance to dwell on it, though, as Silver sat down and turned the scroll to her and hit play. "Where did you learn to do this, Ms. Rose?" He asked in a level tone that sort of demanded attention and cooperation. On the scroll was a video recording of the fight between the now identified Ms. Rose and the orange haired pimp jacket guy's goons on the street outside the dust shop. In retrospect, she's pretty incredible. How the hell did she even manage to swing around that huge ass scythe, god damn. Who could teach her something like that, the Grimm Reaper?

"Oh, I learned that at Signal Academy in Patch." Red replied.

"They're teaching students to wield one of the most dangerous weapons in all of history there?" Silver replied.

"Well, not the school per se. Just one teacher in particular. Qrow Branwen, he's my uncle. He taught me everything I know. When I first came to him I wasn't really good, but now I'm all 'HWAAAAAWH' 'haaaaa' 'wucha'!" She said, while making crazy karate gestures in her seat.

"And how about you Mr. Springfield? It's been a long time since a Springfield has taken up the mantle of a combatant. If you add onto that the fact that you don't have any prior history in any of Vytal's combat schools, or any combat schools anywhere for that matter, you make for a very interesting subject." The video feed now showed my sudden catching of the rubble and chasing down the pimp coat guy.

"Holy damn, did I just straight up jump to the top of that building? It's like 3 stories high? How the hell did I do that?" I exclaimed in surprise. "Wait. What do you mean it's been a long time since a Springfield has been a fighter? I'm not a fighter. And how do you know my family? Even I don't know a lot about us beyond my dad and me."

"You tell me, Nugi. Because frankly, I haven't the vaguest of clues as to how you did that without the assistance of a machine _or_ an aura. And how could you say you aren't a fighter even after the show of combat instinct when you practically teleported to that dust crystal and threw it right at the flare Roman Torchwick fired at the two of you." Silver said, dumbfounded despite himself about Nugi's show of ability even while lacking knowledge of how he did it.

"As for the Springfield's, they were once one of the most powerful families of hunters during the Great War against the grimm. They were honored among names such as Arc, Konoe, and Vongola. There are tales of a particular grandfather-father-son line of incredible warriors from the Springfield family dating back to the early years of the great war, shortly after the Grimm first arose to destroy humanity. "

Silver relaxed and fell back in his seat and sighed. "Do you know who I am?"

Red immediately perked up at this, and all but shouted out "You're Professor Ozpin, the headmaster at Beacon Academy. Funny thing about that, my sister, Yang, is starting there this year, and I only have 2 more years at Signal left and then I plan to apply to Beacon, too."

"So you want to kill monsters, huh? How about you, Mr. Springfield? What do you want to do? Do you also wish to kill monsters?" He redirected the conversation to me.

"Nah, maybe a few years ago I would have said yes, but that plan was cut pretty damn short when I couldn't get into a combat school because I couldn't use aura. Can't use aura, can't fight Grimm. Normal civilian life for me. Speaking of life, what's going on here because I have one to attend to? Mom's gonna have a fit. What time is it? Like 10 at night? The last bus back to Meridian should have already left half an hour ago so now I have to walk home. So if I don't have to stay, or I don't have any reason to stick around, I'd like to leave." I said impatiently, though a little more so than I would have actually liked.

"Let's not be hasty now, Nugi. While you are not required to stay, I have a proposition for you, for the both of you actually," He said with a glance towards Red, "that may change your outlook on what you intend to do with your lives. How would you both like to come to beacon starting this year?" Ozpin said calmly with a smirk on his fox like face. Rose almost jumped out of her chair in excitement and immediately shouted out that she would "love to more than anything else in the world" but I wasn't so ready to put my neck on the line.

"That's all well and dandy to offer it to us but isn't there a little problem with that? I'm 15, and she doesn't look to be much older. On top of which, as I just told you, I can't fight. I haven't had my aura unlocked and I don't know how to unlock it or use it to fight or keep myself _alive_." Nugi replied with a straight face while looking Ozpin right in the eyes.

"According to this surveillance feed of your debacle with Roman Torchwick I would say otherwise. You displayed skills on the level of a proper hunter and huntress in training, both. As for your age, it shouldn't be a problem as long as you are as skilled as your peers, and you display traits befitting of a hunter in training. On the part of your lack of use of an aura, my father always said that there are other forms in which power may manifest itself besides aura or a semblance. If you really do need your aura than I would be more than willing to arrange for it to be unlocked by one of my professors or even myself." Ozpin countered.

That last statement made something click in my head. _Aura is not the only power, Aura is not the only light._

"Maybe I will take you up on your offer. I need time to think it over. This is coming out of nowhere. I need to talk to my parents and such, and I have no training or knowledge so I'm gonna be pretty behind and I'm gonna need time and a lot of training to catch up and I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up." I said thinking about it all seriously.

"That's to be expected, up until now you planned on living a normal civilian life. If you decide to take me up on my offer, contact me here. Do be quick about it though, initiation is next Thursday." Ozpin said, handing me a business card with his personal scroll and DustMail contact information. "I have nothing else to speak to you about, so if you wish to leave, now would be the time. Glynda will arrange for your travel home." He said while turning to Red as Glynda came over and freed me from the handcuffs and we began to make our way out the door. "Now, Ruby Rose..." He began, his voice cut off by the door closing behind me on my way out of the room and out of the station.

I've got a lot to think about.

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 **So once again, I'm sorry for this being so late, my computer broke down so I had to jump through a plethora of hoops to get this chapter written on my desktop and get it out to you guys, and I also picked up LibreOffice so I'm also writing on a new word processor and life has just been generally stressful lately, what with me getting severely ill and falling behind in school and senior year stuff. But I'm more or less back now.**

 **This chapters lat piece was written under the influence of a prescription strength narcotic so please tell me if its lackluster and once again, if I receive no review or criticism, I simply assume my work is perfect, so please, leave reviews.**

 **Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this little pet project of mine and until next time,**

 **~Nugi out.**


End file.
